Women's Lacrosse: Q&A with USC Coach Lindsey Munday

Newly minted USC head coach Lindsey Munday has been hitting the recruiting trail hard to find the first class of players to take the field for one of the newest programs in Division I. She took a few minutes to sit down with Inside Lacrosse at the US Lacrosse Convention in Baltimore.

What was the hiring process like with USC?

Obviously the decision was truly difficult with me just getting hired. I appreciate all the opportunities I had at Mount St. Mary's but I talked to USC and it was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up. The administration is incredible and to start my own program was something I've always dreamed of since I started coaching.

With being the first head coach at a program and starting from scratch, have you gotten any advice or feedback?

I've obviously talked to Kelly (Amonte Hiller) a lot. She's been with me through my whole process as a player and a coach and now helping me move on in my coaching career as well. Being a part of that experience at Northwestern as a player and as a coach has been extremely helpful in leading my thoughts on how I want to run a program. Kelly's on speed dial.

Having played at a program like Northwestern which is known for a very high paces style of play, is that something you want to implement at USC?

Definitely. I've always been a fan of a high paced high energy game. Making smart decisions on the offensive end but pressure on defense and using athleticism and speed to our advantage.

What has the support been like from USC? When Florida added, it definitely appeared the athletic department took an 'if we're going to do this, we're going to do it right' approach. Has the USC athletic department added lacrosse with a similar sentiment?

Absolutely. They didn't add a sport because they had to or because of Title Nine. They added it because they did research and saw the participation rates in lacrosse are through the roof right now and the academic profile of lacrosse players is great and they really went all in with supporting the program. This came directly from the president of the university. It was his initiative and obviously the athletic director is 100% behind it. The support has been unbelieveable so far.

What are your thoughts on playing in the MPSF?

The MPSF is a really strong conference and I'm really excited to be a part of it. It's been making waves nationally. Stanford is doing extremely well and Denver is up there breaking into the rankings and I think there is potential for our conference to really improve.

Where are the primary areas in which you're looking to recruit?

I'm looking everywhere. I'm definitely open minded. I think there's a ton of athleticism on the west coast right now in terms of people who may have picked up the sport a little later. Obviously the east coast is really flourishing with talent. I'm looking for girls who are excited to be apart of something so special and something new and being a part of that and be a part of USC.

That sounds a little Kelly Amote Hiller-esque! Do you think a lot of your philosophies on how you're going to recruit and the style of play you want to have come from what she instilled in you as a player and as a coach?

I think with the style of play I plan to put in at USC, I think that athleticism is going to be huge. I'm very confident in my teaching ability and I pride myself as a teacher and my players improving throughout their time and athleticism is really important to take your game the the next level.

Being in the middle of scouting talent all over the country, what do you think of players on the west coast?

I think the west coast is really growing right now. In terms of skill it might be a little bit behind the east coast and the powerhouses of the east coast but I'm confident in teaching those skills so I'm not too concerned about that at this point. It's definitley that athleticism and that potential that I see translating into the college game.

What's the timeline from here on out in terms of recruiting and getting a team ready for the fall of 2012?

We officially start in the 2012-13 season. We'll have a core group of 10-12 girls come this coming fall that I'll be able to work with and train with but they won't lose any eligibility. Right now I'm recruiting 2012s pretty heavily in terms of getting verbal commitments and then their senior year they'll sign an NLI. Hopefully by next fall we'll have a core group and then when the 2012s come in we'll be ready to go.

With USC being so far away from the east coast, has that presented any challenges in recruiting?

I think it will be a challenge. But I also think there will be a lot of people who are willing to travel. And I think the biggest thing is the opportunity that USC presents. The university is incredible both academically and athletically and it's taking that chance and going a little far away for girls on the east coast but I had the opportunity to do that and go to Chicago and it really made me grow as a person and helped me mature as a person and just provided so many opportunities that I may not have had if I stayed close to home.

Kelly Austin (IL's No. 1 recruit in 2009) transferred to USC this year. Will she be playing for you and what kind of impact do you think she can have on the program?

When I was at Northwestern we recruited her a little bit. She's a really talented player and I was really excited that she's on board at USC. I've seen her a couple of times. She was in the office the first day when the release came out and her mom was there and it was great to see them and to move forward together. Right now it's kind of her and I tag-teaming USC lacrosse but I'm really excited. She's going to be a great leader for us and a great player and I'm excited to continue to recruit and get her some teammates.

Starting a program from the ground up, what are your goals for this program?

Obviously the national championship is the goal and should be the goal for anyone coaching at that level. There are going to be ups and downs. There's going to be speed bumps but at a place like USC that's so highly accomplished in terms of athletic success and their academic success, the opportunity the education provides, we're definitely going to get the talent and the interest and I'm excited to develop players once they come and hope we can compete as soon as we can.

That being said, what would constitute success in year one?

I think you can define success in a lot of different ways and as we grow, we're going to celebrate every success that we have. We're going to have so many firsts as a program to look forward to: first wins, and first trips and there are so many things to look forward to and there's going to be a lot of successes as we grow and as we continue to develop. We want to be as successful in terms of wins and losses as we can. That's the goal and the recruits that we bring in are going to know they're going to put in the work and that that's our main objective.